Cuspidor



CUSPIDOR Filed Jurie 5.

.1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Jan.

C. H. THO'MPSQN 'CUSPIDQR Filed Jun 5.

1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 25, 1927.

C. H. THOMPSON CUSPIDOR Filed June 5, i925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 witness as Patented Jan. 192?.

igilSJZil CHARLES H. THOMPSON, 0F OJAI, CALIFORNIA.

GUSPIDOR.

Application filed June 3, 1926.

The invention relates to a new and improved cuspidor designed primarily for use upon automobiles, although not restricted to such use.

It is one object of. the invention to provide a holder in which the cuspidor is normally received, said cnspidor and holder having registering outlets, and to provide a normally open valve for the cuspidor outlet, which valve however, is self-closing when said cuspidor is removed from its holder for use.

Another object of the invention, is to provide novel flushing means for the cnspidor, composed 0t separable units. one being carried by the cuspidor and the other being stationarily mounted.

A still further object is to provide the cnspidor with a laterally projecting handle and to provide novel means on the holder for engaging; said handle to hold the cuspidor normallv within the holder.

Yet another aim is to provide the flushing means with a control member which is actuated by a portion of the above-named valve so as to automatically throw the flushing means into play when the cuspidor is inserted into the holder, at the same time opening said valve.

Another object, in the provision of a de vice for use upon automobiles, is to make provision wherebv the suction within the intake manifold or other part of the motor, may be utilized to charge a cylinder with liquid, said cylinder having: a spring-actuated piston active to discharge the liquid for the purpose of flushing the cuspidor.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a hand-flushed device constructed in accordance with my invention the cus pidor being: shown in its normal position within the holder.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a si do elevation of the cuspidor removed from the holder.

Figure 1- is a vertical sectional view through the holder and associated parts with the cuspidor removed.

Serial No. 113,466;

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing more clearly the manner in which the handle of the cuspidor is held by means provided on the holder for that purpose.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional-view showing a difiierent construction which may be used when flushing; liquid under pressure is utilized.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the relation of parts when the cuspidor is removed from the holder.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but disclosing. the construction and relation of parts in which the piston-containing, suction-charged cylinder is used for flushing purposes.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but disclosing the cuspidor separated from the holder.

In the drawings above briefly described,

certain specific constructions and relations of parts have been shown and while they will be hereinafter specifically described, it is to be understood at the outset that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

11 designates a cup-shaped receptacle holder suitably secured to any desired support 12, which support may well be the instrument board'ot' an automobile. At its bottom, the holder 12 is provided witlran outlet pipe 13 which may lead to any desired point of discharge.

Removably received in the holder 11,,is a cuspidor or receptacle 14 whose bottom is provided with an outlet 15 registering with the outlet 13, said outlet 15 being preferably inv the form of atubular neck. The receptacle 14 is provided: with a laterally projecting handle 16 which passes through a notch 17 in the side wall of the holder 11 and is releasably held by a pair of spring fingers 18 or some analogous spring clip, carried by the holder 11.

The outlet 15 of the receptacle 14 is provided with a valve 19 which is self-closing when permitted to close, but is held in open position as long as the receptacle 14 is within the holder 11. Inthe preferred construction, this valve is provided with a downwardly projecting stem 20 surrounded by a spring 21 which is active to close the valve when occasion permits. Normally, however, the lower end of the stem 21 abuts a rigid arm 22 which is suitably mounted within and carried by the discharge pipe 13. Thus, as long as the receptacle 14 is within the holder 11, the valve 19 will be held in open position. Any suitable strainer plate or the like 23 may be provided over this valve if desired to prevent any matter reaching the same which would prevent its closing upon lifting of the receptacle from the holder.

Flushing means are provided for the receptacle 14, said means preferrably including a perforated flushing ring 24 at the rim of said receptacle, said ring having a liquid inlet 25. In the term of construction disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5, this inlet 25 registers with a liquid-discharge pipe 26 which is provided with an appropriate hand-operated pump 27, the handle 28 of this pump being readily accessible. hen the handle 28 is pulled outwardly by hand, it compresses a spring 29 and at the same time, draws liquid from a supply pipe 30, through a check valve 31, into the pump cylinder. Then, when the handle 28 is released, the spring 29 projects the pump piston 32 and discharges liquid through a check valve 33 and the pipe 27, so that such liquid reaches the ring 24 and is discharged into the receptacle 14, to effectively flush the latter. In place 01 the exact pump structure shown, it will be obvious that a pump of some other adequate form could be used.

In the form of construction Figs. 6 and 7, a liquid reservoir 34 is provided in the flushing means for the receptaele 14. Liquid supply piping 3536 is provided for this reservoir or flush tank, and liquid discharge piping shown in oi38 is employed from said reservoir to a point at the wall of the holder 11, for communication with the opening 25 of the flushing ring 24. A rotary valve 89 is provided for controlling communication between the pipes 35-36 and between the pipes 3738. I ihen the receptacle 14 is removed from the holder 11, as seen in Fig. 7, the valve 39 moves to a position to place pipes 35 and 36 in communication, so that the reservoir will iill with liquid, this liquid being of course supplied under pressure. As soon as the receptacle 14 is replaced in the holder 11 however, the valve moves to a position to ob struct communication between the pipes and 36 and open communication between the pipes 37 and 38. Thus, the contents of the reservoir 34 will run by gravity through this piping into the flushing ring 24.

Novel provision is made whereby the valve 19 controls the valve 39. In the present showing, the ported rotary member 40 of this valve 39 is provided with an operating arm 41 which is connected by a link 42 to a control lever 48, said lever passing through an opening in the discharge pipe 13 and having its inner end in the downward path of the stem 20. Preferably, a ball and socket joint 44 is employed to not only tulcrum the lever 43 but to prevent liquid from leaking out through the opening necessary for passage of said lever lircn'i the interior to the exterior oi the outlet 13. When the receptacle 14 is inserted into the holder 11, the stem 20 strikes the lever 43, thus not only opening the valve 19, but so swinging said lever as to set the valve 39 at the flushing position shown in Fig. 6, so that liquid from the reservoir 34 may travel through the pipes 37 and 38 to the flushing ring As soon as the receptacle 14 is removed from the holder 11, the lever 43 and associated parts are free to move to nonilushing position as disclosed in Fig. 7. Either gravity or some other force may be relied upon to so move these parts. When the valve in this non-flushing position, the pipes 35 and 36 are in communication so that refilling of the reservoir 34 takes place, in readiness for again flushing the receptacle 1.4 as soon as it is reinserted into the holder 11.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a construction is shown in which a cylinder and a piston 46 therein, are used for forcing liquid through piping 474849, int-o the opening 25. The pipe 47 leads to one end of the cylinder 45 and piping 5051 leads to said same end, being preferably connected with the pipe 47 as shown in Fig. 9. Pipe 50 extends to a suitable liquid tank or the like (not shown).

A spring 52 is employed for projecting the piston 46 in liquid-discharging direction and piping 5354, leading to the intake manifold of a motor or to some other source of suction. is employed for exhausting air trom one end portion of the cylinder to cause retraction of said piston 46 against the action of said spring. Then, too, a vent pipe 55 is provided for the springcontaining portion of the cylinder 45 so as to admit air at the proper time and permit the spring to project the piston.

A rotatable valve 56 is provided for controlling communication between the pipes 4849, 50-4)], and 53 54, as well as controlling the passage of air through the pipe 55. This valve 56 is provided with an operating arm 5'? for its rotary member 58. said arm being connected by a link 60 with the lever 43, which lever is mounted and operates in the same manner as the lever 43 above described.

When the receptacle 14 is out of the holder 11, as shown in Fig. 10, the valve 56 places the pipes 53-54 in communication with each other, closes the pipe 55 and establishes.communication between the pipes 50 -51 The result is that suction is created in the cylinder 45, behind thepiston 46; causing the latter to move inwardly against the actioir of the spring 52: This inward movement causes liquid to flow through the pipes 5051 and the pipe 47, into the cylinder 4 5 As soonastl'ie reoeptable 14 is replaced in the holder 11, the valve stem 20 engages lever 43*, thus not only opening the valve 19, but so; moving the member 58 of the valve 56, as to open communication between the pipes el849, cut off communication. between the pipes 50--5l and between the pipes 53-54, and open the vent pipe 55. The result is that the spring 52 then acts to project the piston 46, thus driving the liquid from the cylinder 45 through the pipes et7et8--49, into the flushing ring 24, to flush the receptacle 14.

Attention is directed tothe fact that in each form of the invention, provision is made for closing the outlet of the receptacle 14, as soon as this receptacle is removed from the holder 11, so that no leakage of contents which may be deposited into the receptacle, can take place. As soon as this receptacle is reinserted into the holder 11, however, the valve 19 is automatically opened, so that flushing of the contents may be accomplished. Moreover, in all forms of the in vention, I provide novel means on the holder for engaging the handle of the receptacle to hold the latter in proper place, which is exceptionally desirable when the invention is used upon an automobile or other vehicle subject to vibration. Then, too, in certain forms of the invention, 1 make use of the insertion of the receptacle to not only open the valve 19, but to actuate a control member for other valve means instrumental in effecting automatic flushing of the receptacle 14. The invention, it will thus be seen, possesses a number of unique characteristics and while the general construction herein disclosed. is preferably employed for attaining such characteristics, it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous modifications may be made.

I claim 1. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet, a re ceptacle removably positioned in the holder and having an outlet registering with the outlet oi said holder, a self-closing valve for said receptacle outlet, means for holding said valve open while the receptacle is within the receptacle holder, a laterally projecting handle on said receptacle, and means on said holder releasably engaging said handle to retain the receptacle in the holder.

A device of the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet, a receptacle removably positioned in the holder spring clip: onsaid holder releasably en gaging; said handle to 1 retain t'he receptacle in the holder.

3. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet, a receptacle removably positioned in the holder and having an outlet registering with the outlet of said holder, a self-closing valve for said receptacle, means for holding said valve open while the receptacle is within the receptacle holder, and flushing means for said receptacle formed of separable units, one of which is carried by the receptacle, the other unit being stationarily connected with the holder.

4. A device 01. the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet, a receptacle removably positioned in the holder and having an outlet registering with the outlet of said holder, flushing means for said receptacle, means for automatically bringing said flushing means into play each time the receptacle is replaced in the holder after removal, and means for closing the receptacle outlet each time said receptacle is removed from the holder.

5. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet. a receptacle removably positioned in the holder and having an outlet registering with the outlet of said holder, flushing means for said receptacle having a control member in said holder outlet, and a self-closing valve for the receptacle outlet, said valve having a valve-opening member to engage said control member and open the valve when the receptacle is placed in the holder, said control member being movable to flush-starting position by engagement with said valveopening member, provision being made for moving said control member to non-flushing position when the receptacle is removed from the holder.

6. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle holder having an outlet. a receptacle removably positioned in the holder and having an outlet registering with the outlet of said holder, flushing means for said receptacle including a cylinder having liquid inlet means at one end, liquid outlet means from said one end to the receptacle, a piston in the cylinder spring-urged toward said one end thereof, and valve means for said liquid outlet means; a suction line from the other end of the cylinder, valve means for said suction line, means for automatically closing the valve means of said liquid outlet means and opening the valve means of the suction line when the receptacle is removed from the holder, a valve having a portion engageable With and means for then closing the receptacle said control member to control said valve 10 outlet. and effect actuation of said control member 7. A structure as specified in claim 6; said of the valve means. valve means for the liquid outlet means and In testimony whereof I have hereunto the suction line having a common control afiixed my signature.

member in said outlet of said holder; said closing means for the receptacle comprising CHARLES H. THOMPSON. 

